Grinder



May 18 1926. 1,584,721

J, -BLAND l GRI NDER Filed Dec. 1o. 1924 2 sheets-sheetA 1 May 1s, 192s.1,584,721 J. BLAND GRINDER Filed Dec. l0, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /13/lig?. 3 44 A AttoT'nqy/S Patented May 18, 1926.

PATENT" OFFICE.

JOHN BLAND, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GRINDER.

Application lied December 10, 1924. Serial No. 754,892.

'This invention relates to a machine and process of grinding. One objectof the invention is to provide a machine which will grind and break upmica and other similar laminated material. Another object is to providea means for mechanically bending mica or other laminated material tobreak the same, into as thin sections'as possible. Other objects willappear from time to time throughout the specification andclaims.

My invention is illustrated vlmore or less diagrammatically in `theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view with parts 'in section;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical cross section on line 3 3 of Figure 2on an enlarged scale; y

Figure l is a longitudinal verticalcross section on line l-a of Figure 3on a further enlarged scale.

Likey parts are designated by like charac-l ters throughout. y A is afoundation which preferably has twoor more raised cross members A1 A1.

Resting upon this foundation are the grinding members proper. In theform here shown the grinding members consist of six superimposedgenerally horizontal perforated and slotted plates. rPhe bottom plate Bis the thinnest of all of the plates and rests upon the members A1 andis perforated,l

and through the perforations it engages the vertical posts B1. Theseposts are braced yby lateral bracing members B2 which are secured to thefoundation A1 by means of bolts B2. The plate B is provided in its upperface with a plurality of grooves or slots C. These slots extendapproximately across the plates but are not parallel to the ends of theplates, that is they do not run at right angles to the longitudinal axisof the plate. The

plate is further provided with perforations C1. These perforations arewider than the slots but lie in them so that in e'ect the slot runs fromyperforation to perforation across the face of the plate.

D D are rollers mounted upon the vertical posts B1. One of the rollersas shown in Figure 3 rests immediately upon the upper surface of the.plate B.

E is a second plate. It lies upon and 5 moves over the plate B. It isprovided in its upper face with a se-ries of grooves E1 similar to thegrooves C. In its lower surface it is provided with a series of groovesE2 similar to the grooves E1. The grooves E2 are, however, not parallelto the grooves C in the plate B, and thus the plates do not lock and thegrooves or slots do not engage as the plates move with relation to eachother. The plate E'has a plurality of perforations E3 which communicatewith the slots E1 E2. rIhe outer edges of the plate E` engage the lowerrollers D.

F is a third plate resting upon the plate E and provided in its uppersurface with slots F1 and in its lower surface with slotsI F2, andhaving perforations F3. It is perforated at its edges and engages and issecured by the vertical members B1.

G is a fourth plate resting upon the upper surface of the plate F andhaving grooves G1 in its upper surface, and a series of grooves G2 inits lower surface and perforations G3. It rests upon the plate F in thesame manner as each of the other plates rests upon the one below it, andthe grooves in its lower face are not parallel with the grooves in theupper face' of the plate F so that the two do not lock.y

II is a fifth plate resting on the plate G,

It has grooves H1 in the upper face, H2

in its lower face and perforations H3.

I is a sixth plate having grooves I1, grooves I2 and perforations I3.

The plates increase inv thickness from bottom upward, each successiveplate being somewhat thicker than the one below it, although this is notan absolutely essential feature and for some purposes might be departedfrom. The perforations through the plates also preferably decreaseprogressively in size from top to bottom, the largest perforations beingin the top plate and the smallest in the bottom plate, andcorrespondingly therefore the depth of the groove is. preferablyincreased from the bottom up so that'the widest and deepest grooves arein the top plate and the narrowest and shallowest grooves being in thebottom plate.

J J are braces which rest upon the top and uppermost plate in a positionnot parallel to the grooves in the top of the upper plate and serving incombination with the grooves in the upper plate initially to break andgrind material fed to the machine.

' Each of the vplates E, G and I engages at its outer edge the rollersD. 'K K are longitudinal braces to which the cross braces J are secured.Each of the plates E, Gr and I is secured to a hook L which is jointedto a piston member L1 carrying a piston head L2. This latter' is mountedwithin a cylinder M which carries on its one end a piston rod M1 whichin turn carries a piston head M2. This piston head M2 is mounted withina steam chest or cylinder M3 carried on a foundation A. M'i M5 are steamor other fluid connections by means of which pressure may be alternatelyapplied to one side or the other of the piston M2. N is a helical springabout the member L within the cylinder M and N1 is a similar springlocated within the cylinder M bearing at one end against the piston headL2 and at the other against the closed end of the cylinder M. The springconnection permits a certain amount of yielding as the parts are movedand thus avoid undue strain and breakages.

Although I have shown an operative device, still it will be obvious thatmany changes will be made in size, shape and arrangement of partswithout departing materially from the spirit of my invention; and I wishtherefore, that my showing be taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

lVhile I have shown the plates as being of decreasing thickness from topdownward, the thickest being at the top and the thinnest at the bottom;it is not an essential feat-ure of the invention and the invention isnot limited to this construction. The plates might be all of onethickness or the moving plates might be of one thickness and thestationary plates of another thickness, or the thickness of the platesmight be graduated differently.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

lVhen material is to be ground the alternate plates are moved withrelation to each other. In the form here shown the bottom plate isstationary. Counting from the bottom the second, fourth and sixth platesare moving. These plates are fastened together and are moved in and out.The first, third and fifth plates remain stationary. Thus the groovesand perforations in alternate plates pass and repass each other as theplates are reciprocated in and out.

Material to be crushed is placed upon the upper plate and falls betweenthe bars. Then as the plates are moved the grooves in the upper platemove with relation to the fixed plates. Some of the material is caughtinthese grooves and is forced against the bars and is thus crushed andbroken and some of it then passes down through the perforations in theupper plate to t-he space between the upper and lower plate and liespartly in the grooves in the bottom of the lower p late and partly inthe grooves in the top of the upper plate. Relative movement of thesetwo plates repeats the action, that is to say, a piece of material willbe caught on one edge in the groove of the lower plate and on the otheredge in the groove of the upper plate. As the two move toward each otherthe material will be crushed and broken and will be further reduced insize and will pass downward through the perforations in the secondplate, and so on from plate to plate, each time broken and reduced insize and each time after being once broken passing through theperforations to a lower plate, and so finally until it passes to thebottom plate and through it into a receiving device, having been reducedin size.

particular feature of importance of this invention is that it isdesigned to operate upon laminated material, and particularly upon mica.This is a material which it is very dii'iicult to crush and which mustbe bent to reduce it to the thinnest possible size. Ii, can withdiiiculty be crushed, but it can be cut and sheared, but when sotreated, if nothing further is done, it does not become reduced to itsfinest possible size. In order to reduce the pieces of mica to theirthinnest possible dimension it is necessary to bend them. rThelaminations are thus separated and the mica is reduced to a very muchsmaller size than is possible where bending does not take place.rTherefore one of the most importa-nt features of this inventinn is thatthe mica is bent and bent again and again. Initially, of course, at thetop of the machine comparatively large. sheets of mica are thrown in,one edge of the sheet cathing in the perforations in the upper plate,its other edge striking against one of the upper bars, and then as theplate continues to move the pieces of mica will be bent and thelaminations to some extent separated. All of the mica on the top of theinachine is treated this way until it has been reduced after succesivebendings to a sutilcient size to pass through the perforations in theupper plate, and then it comes downward and the same successive bendiugstake place. In this way one edge of the piece will catch in a groove ofthe lower plate and another edge of the same piece will catch in thegrooves of the upper plate, and as the two move together the piece ofmica will be bent. This continued bending and reliending and consequentseparation of the iaminations of material takes place, and of coursethere is associated with thi. bending action a certain amount ofgrinding and crushing and breaking so that the pieces of mica are notonly reduced in thickne. are reduced in other dimensions. Thi mica issplit by bending and to some extent sheared and cut and broken andconscquent y reduced toan extremely small size.

Another feature of importance is the lubrication of the machine. Asparticles `of Aare separated from each other by the mica,

Which lies betweentheir contacting faces and 'they are lubricated bythis mica. Thus the material as it is crushed bent and broken furnishedits own lubricant for the machine and 'prevents undue wear and frictionof the parts.

I claim:

l. In a grinder, a plurality of plates one resting on the other, saidplates having grooves in their contacting faces, there beingperforations through the plates, and means for reciprocating one ofthem.

2. In a grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting upon the other, saidplates having grooves in their contacting faces, the grooves runninggenerally diagonally across the plates, the grooves in one plate beingat an angle to the grooves in the contacting 'face of the other plate,there being perforations through the plates, and means for reciproeatingone of them.

3. In a grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting upon the other, saidplates having grooves in their contacting faces, the grooves runninggenerally diagonally across the plates, the grooves in one plate beingat an angle to the grooves in the contacting face of the other plate,there being perforations through the plates, and means for reciprocatingalternate plates in unison.

Il. In a grinder, a plurality of plates one resting on the other', saidplates having grooves in their contacting faces, there beingperforations through the plates, and means for reciprocating alternateplates in unison.

5. In a grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting upon the other, saidplates having grooves in their contacting faces, the grooves runninggenerally diagonally across the plates, the contacting sets of groovesmeeting at an angle to each other, there being perforations through theplates, and means for reciprocating one of them.

.6. Ina grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting upon the other, saidplates having grooves in their contacting faces, the grooves runninggenerally diagonally across the.

` plates, the contacting sets of grooves meeting at an angle to eachother, there being perforations through the plates, and means forreciprocating alternate plates in unison.

7- In a. grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting upon the other,said plates having grooves in their contacting faces, the groovesrunning generally diagonally across the plates, the grooves in one platebeing at an angle to the grooves in thev contacting face of the otherplate, there being perforations through the plates, and means forreciproeating alternate plates in unison, the plates progressivelydecreasing in thickness from top tobottom, the thickest plate being atthe top and the thinnest plate being at the bottom. f

8. In a grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting upon theo-ther, saidplates having grooves in their contacting faces, the grooves runninggenerally diagonally across the plates, the contacting sets of groovesmeeting at an angle to each other, there being perforations through theplates, and means for reciprocating one of them, the platesprogressively decreasing in thickness from top to bottom, the thickestplate being at the top and the thinnest plate being at the bottom.

9. In a grinder, a pluraliy vof plates, one resting upon the other, saidplates having grooves in their contacting faces, the grooves runninggenerally diagonally across the plates, the contacting sets of groovesmeeting at an angle to each other, there being perforations through theplates, and means for reciprocating alternate plates in unison, f`

the plates progressively decreasing in thickness from top to bottom, thethickest plate being at the top and the thinnest plate being at thebottom. l

l0. In a grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting upon the other,said plates having grooves in their contacting faces, the groovesrunning generally diagonally across the plates, the grooves in one platebeing at an angle to the grooves in the contacting face of the otherplate, lthere being perforations through the plates, and means forreciprocating alternate plates in unison, the grooves in the lowerplates being smaller than the grooves in the upper plates, the smallestgrooves being in the bottom plate and the largest grooves being in thetop plate.

ll. In a grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting upon the other,said `plates having grooves in their contacting faces, the groovesrunning generally diagonally across the plates, the contacting sets ofgrooves meeling at an angle to each other, there being perforationsthrough the plates, and means for reciprocating one of them, the groovesl in the lower plates being smaller than the grooves in the upperplates, the smallest grooves` being in the bottom plate and the largestgrooves being in the top plate.

12. In a grinder, a plurality of plates, one i resting upon the other,said plates having grooves in their contacting faces, the groovesruiming generally diagonally kacross .the plates, the contacting sets ofgrooves meeting at an angle to each other, there being perforationsthrough the plates, and means for reciprocating alternate plates inunison, the grooves in the lower plates being smaller than the groovesin theupper plates, the wo smallest grooves being in the bottom plateand the largest grooves being in the top plate.

13. In a grinder, a plurality ot plates, one resting upon the other,said plates having grooves in their contacting faces, the groovesrunning generally diagonally across the plates, the grooves in one platebeing at an angle to the grooves in the contact-ing face of the otherplate, there being perforations through the plates, and means forreciproeating alternate plates in unison, the pericorations decreasingin size downwardly, the largest perforations being in the. top plate,and the smallest perforations being in the bottom plate.

14. In a. grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting upon the other,said plates having grooves in their contacting faces, the groovesrunning generally diagonally across the plates, the contacting sets or"grooves meeting at an angle to each other, there being perforationsthrough the plates, and means for reciprocating one of them, theperforations d creasing in size downwardly, the large perfor-ationsbeing in the top plate and the. smallest pertorations being in thebottom plate- 15. In a grinder, a plurality of plates, one resting uponthe other, said plates having grooves in their contacting faces, thegrooves running generally diagonally across the plates, the contactingsets of grooves meeting at an angle to each other, there beingperforations through the plates, and means for reciprocating alternateplates in unison, the per'torations decreasing in size down wardly, thelargest perforations being in the top plate, and the smallestperforations being in the bottom plate.

1G. In a grinding apparatus, a plurality ot superimposed plates, eachplate having on its contacting surfaces grooves and periorations passingthrough the plates in line with the grooves, the thickness of theplates, the size ot the grooves and the size ot the pert'orations beinggraduated, the smallest oteach at the bottom, the largest ot each at thetop, and means for reciprocating in unison alternate plates.

17. In a grinding apparatus, a plurality of superimposed plates, eachplate having on its contacting surfaces grooves and perforations passingthrough the plates in line with the grooves, and of greater width, thethickness ot the plates, the size of the grooves and the size of thepertorations being graduated, the smallest of each at the bottom, thelargest ot each at the top, and means for reciprocating in unisonalternate plates.

18. In a .grinding apparatus, a plurality of superimposed generallyhorizontal metal plates, each plate having on its contacting surfacesgrooves and perfora'tions passing through the plates in line with thegrooves and ot greater width, the thickness of the plates, the size otthe grooves and the size oi the perforations being graduated, thesmallest oi each at the bottom, the largest of each at the top, andmeans tor reciprocating in unison alternate plates.

19` In a grinder, a plurality of generally horizontal plates ot metal,each of said plates having grooves in its upper and lower surface, thegrooves running generally diagonally across the plates, there beingperforations through he plates in liz e with the grooves, ot greaterwidth than the grooves, the plates decreasing in size trom top to bottomoi the grinder, the grooves decreasing in width from top to bottom, andthe size ot the pertorations decreasing i'rom top to bottom, and meanstor reciprocating alternate plates in unison, and bars diagonallyvacross and above the upper plate, the bars resting on the top plate, andeach plate resting upon the one beneath it.

20. In a grinder, a plurality of plates, ol greater width than thegrooves, one resting on the other, said plates having grooves in theircontacting 'lat-es, there being perforations through the plates, andmeans for rcciprocating one ot them.

221. In a grinder adapted to reduce laminated material means forengaging the material to bend it to separate the laminations, said meansincluding a plurality o' plates, one resting on the other, said plateshaving material engaging grooves in their contacting faces, there beingperlorations through the plates through which the mate` rial acted uponmay tall to successive plates, and inc-ans tor reciprocating alternateplates 1n unison.

22. In a grinder adapted to reduce laminated material means forsuccessively engaging the material to bend it to separate thelan'iinations, said means including a plurality ot plates, one restingon the other, said plates having' material engaging grooves in theircontacting faces, there being pertorations through the plates throughwhich the material acted upon may 'fall to successive patesand means forreciprocating alternate plates in unison.

In a grinder adapted to reduce laminated material means tor successivelyengaging the material to bend it to separate the laminations, said meansincluding a plurality ot plates, one. resting on the other, said plateshaving material engaging grooves in their contacting faces, there beingperiorations through the plates through which the material acted uponmay tall to successive plates and means 'for reciprocating alternateplates in unison, the plates progressively decreasing in sizedownwardly, the largest plate being at the top and the smallest one atthe bottom.

2l. In a grinder adapted to reduce laminated material means forsuccessively engaging the material to bend it to separate thelaminations, said means including a plurality of plates, one resting onthe other, said plates having material engaging grooves in theircontacting faces, there being perforations through the plates throughwhich the material acted upon may fall to successive plates and meansfor reciprocating alternate plates in unison, the thickness of theplates, size oi. the grooves and pei-iterations progressivelydecreasing, the smallest of each being at the bottom and the largest ofeach at the top.

25. The process of breaking up laminated material which consists inengaging edges of a. piece of such material and i'orcing the two towardseach other to cause bending and splitting.

26. The process of breaking up laminated material which consists inrepeatedly engaging edges of a piece oit' such material and Jforcing thetwo towards each other to cause bending and splitting.

27. The process of breaking up laminated material which consists inengaging edges of a piece of such material and forcing the two towardseach other to cause bending and splitting and passing such partiallseparated pieces downward through a p urality repeating the bendingoperation 1n such zones by engaging the edges of a piece of suchmaterial and forcing the two towards each other. f

29. In a grinder adapted to reduce laminated material means for engagingedges of said material and 'for moving such edges together to bend andto separate the laminations.

30. In a grinder adapted to reduce laminated material means forsuccessively engaging edges of said material and for moving such edgestogether to bend and to separate the laminations.

Signed at Chicago county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 19th day ofNovember 1924i. i

JOHN BLAND.`

